Quick Definition
δοκέω v. I think, seem, appear, it seems
Strong's Definition
a prolonged form of a primary verb, doko dok'-o (used only in an alternate in certain tenses; compare the base of 1166) of the same meaning; to think; by implication, to seem (truthfully or uncertainly)
KJV Usage: be accounted, (of own) please(-ure), be of reputation, seem (good), suppose, think, trow
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament
verb | aor. ἔδοξα | ἀποκαραδοκία · δόγμα · δογματίζομαι · δόξα · δοξάζω · ἐνδοξάζομαι · ἔνδοξος · εὐδοκέω · εὐδοκία · κενοδοξία · κενόδοξος · παράδοξος · προσδοκία · συνδοξάζομαι · συνευδοκέω
31.29 · Hold a View, Believe, Trust · Suppose, Think Possible
to suppose, to presume, to assume, to imagine, to believe, to think to regard something as presumably true, but without particular certainty In some languages the equivalent of ‘to suppose’ or ‘to presume’ is ‘to think somewhat’ or ‘to think perhaps’ or ‘to think a little.’ In some instances the lack of certainty is spelled out clearly as ‘to think, but not with certainty’ or ‘to think, but not to know’ or ‘to think, but not to be sure.’
MAT 3:9 · MAT 6:7 · MAT 22:17 · MAT 24:44 · MAT 26:53 · MRK 6:49 · MRK 10:42 · LUK 12:40 · LUK 12:51 · LUK 13:2 · LUK 13:4 · LUK 19:11 · LUK 24:37 · JHN 5:39 · JHN 5:45 · JHN 11:13 · JHN 11:31 · JHN 13:29 · JHN 16:2 · JHN 20:15 · ACT 12:9 · ACT 26:9 · ACT 27:13 · 1CO 3:18 · 1CO 4:9 · 1CO 7:40 · 1CO 8:2 · 1CO 10:12 · 1CO 12:22 · 1CO 12:23 · 1CO 14:37 · 2CO 11:16 · 2CO 12:19 · GAL 2:9 · GAL 6:3 · PHP 3:4 · HEB 4:1 · HEB 10:29 · JAS 1:26 · JAS 4:5
25.7 · Attitudes and Emotions · Desire, Want, Wish
to be disposed to, to want to to be disposed to some desire or intent For another interpretation of δοκέω in 1CO 11:16, see 30.96.
30.96 · Think · To Choose, To Select, To Prefer
to choose, to decide to prefer, to choose as superior to make a choice on the basis of something being better or superior It would also be possible to translate the ‘if’ clause in 1CO 11:16 as ‘if anyone is disposed to be contentious’ or ‘if anyone wants to quarrel about it’ (see δοκέω[b], 25.7).
87.42 · Status · High Status or Rank [including persons of high status]
Collocation: οἱ δοκοῦντες
important persons, influential persons, prominent persons those who have a reputation of being important or are generally recognized as being important
31.30 · ((impersonal form)) · Hold a View, Believe, Trust · Suppose, Think Possible
Collocation: δοκεῖ
to seem, to appear, to assume, to think to hold an opinion based upon appearances which may be significantly different from reality
MAT 17:25 · MAT 18:12 · MAT 21:28 · MAT 22:42 · MAT 26:66 · LUK 8:18 · LUK 10:36 · LUK 22:24 · JHN 11:56 · ACT 17:18 · ACT 25:27 · 1CO 11:16 · HEB 12:11
UBS Dictionary of the Greek New Testament © United Bible Societies, licensed CC BY-SA 4.0.
Thayer's Greek Lexicon
δοκέω, -ὥ ; impf. ἐδόκουν ; 1 aor. ἔδοξα ; (akin to δέχομαι or δέκομαι, whence δόκος an assumption, opinion, [οἵ. Lat. decus, decet, dignus; Curtius § 15; cf. his Das Verbum, i. pp. 376, 3821}; [fr. Hom. down]; 1. to be of opinion, think, suppose : foll. by ace. with inf., Mk. vi. 49 [RG L Tr]; 2 Co. xi. 16; 1 Co. xii. 23 ; with an inf. relating to the same subject as that of δοκέω itself, Lk. viii. 18 (ὃ δοκεῖ ἔχειν) ; xxiv. 37 (ἐδόκουν πνεῦμα θεωρεῖν) ; In. v. 39; xvi. 2; Acts xii. 9; xxvii. 13; 1 Co. iil. 18; vii. 40; vili. 25 x. 12; xiv. 375 Gal. vi. 3; Phil. ni.4; Jas. 1. 26, μὴ δόξητε λέγειν ἐν ἑαυτοῖς do not suppose that ye may think, Mt. iii. 9; οἵ. Fritzsche ad loe. [0]]. by ὅτι, Mt. vi. 7; xxvi. 53; [Mk. vi. 49 T WH]; Lk. xii. 51; xiii. 2, 4; xix.11; Jn. v. 45; xi. 13, [81 T Tr WH]; xiii. 29; xx. 15; 1 Co. iv. 9; 2 Co. xii. 19; Jas.iv.5. so used that the object is easily understood from the context : Mt. xxiv. 44 (jj ὥρᾳ ov δοκεῖτε ὁ vids τοῦ ἀνθρώπου ἔρχεται) ; Lk. xii. 40; xvii. 9 [RG L br. Tr mre. br.]; forming a parenthesis in the midst of a question: πόσῳ, δοκεῖτε, χείρονος ἀξιωθήσεται τιμωρίας; Heb. x. 29; (Arstph. Acharn. 12 πῶς τοῦτ᾽ ἔσεισέ μου. δοκεῖς, τὴν καρδίαν; Anacr. 40, 15 [i. 6. 35 (33), 16] πόσον, δοκεῖς, πονοῦσιν, ἔρως, ὅσους σὺ βάλλεις ;). [Syn. see ἡγέομαι, ἤπ.7 ae intrans. to seem, be accounted, reputed: Lk. x. 36; xxii. 24; Acts xvii. 18; xxv. 27; 1 Co. xii. 22; 2 Co. x. 9; Heb. xii. 11; ἔδοξα ἐμαυτῷ δεῖν πρᾶξαι. I seemed to myself, i.e. I thought, Acts xxi. 9 fick BE rat (92) οἱ δοκοῦντες ἄρχειν those that are accounted to rule, who are recognized as rulers, Mk. x. 42; of δοκοῦντες εἶναί τι those who are reputed to be somewhat (of importance), and therefore have influence, Gal. ii. 6, [9], (Plat. Euthyd. p- 303 6.) ; simply, of δοκοῦντες those highly esteemed, of repute, looked up to, influential, Gal. ii. 2 (often in Grk. writ. as Eur. Hec. 295, where ef. Schiifer ; [ef. W. § 45, 17). By way of courtesy, things certain are sometimes said δοκεῖν, as in Heb. iv. 1 (cf. Cie. offic. 8, 2, 6 ut tute tibi defuisse videare) ; 1 Co. xi. 16 [but ef. Mey. ad loe.]; ef. W. § 65, 7 ο. 3. impers. δοκεῖ μοι, it seems to me; i.e. a. I think, judge: thus in questions, ri σοι (ὑμῖν) δοκεῖ; Mt. xvii. 25 ; xviii. 12; xxi. 28; xxii. 17, 42; xxvi. 66; Jn. xi. 56; κατὰ τὸ δοκοῦν αὐτοῖς as seemed good to them, Heb. xii. 10, (Leian. Tim. § 25, and παρὰ τὸ δοκοῦν ἡμῖν, Thue. 1,84). b. ἔδοξέ μοι it seemed good to, pleased, me; I determined: foll. by inf., Lk. i. 8; Acts xv. 22, 25, 28, 34 Ree.; also often in Grk. writ. Comp.: εὐ-, συν- ev- δοκέω." [Syn. δοκεῖν, φαίνεσθαι: φαίν. (primarily of luminous bodies) makes reference to the actual external appearance, generally correct but possibly deceptive; 50x. refers to the subjective judgment, which may or may not conform to the fact. Hence such a combination as δοκεῖ φαίνεσθαι is no pleonasm. Cf. Trench ὃ Ιχχχ. ; Schmidt ch. 15.]
Mounce Concise Greek Dictionary
δοκέω dokeō 62x
to think, imagine, suppose, presume, Mt. 3:9; 6:7; to seem, appear, Lk. 10:36; Acts 17:18; it seems; it seems good, best, or right, it pleases, Lk. 1:3; Acts 15:22, 25
Abbott-Smith Greek Lexicon
δοκέω, -ῶ
(< δόκος, opinion, < δέκομαι, Ion, form of δέχ-), [in LXX for טוֹב, נָדַב, etc. ;]
to be of opinion, suppose: Mt 24:44, Lk 12:40, He 10:29; c. inf., Mt 3:9, Lk 8:18 24:37, Jo 5:39 16:2, Ac 12:9 27:13, I Co 3:18 7:40 8:2 10:12 14:37, Ga 6:3, Phl 3:4, Ja 1:26; c. acc et inf., I Co 12:23, II Co 11:16; seq. ὅτι, Mt 6:7 26:53, Mk 6:49, Lk 12:51 13:2, 4 19:11, Jo 5:45 11:13, 31 13:29 20:15, I Co 4:9, II Co 12:19, Ja 4:5.
to seem, be reputed: Ac 25:27; c. inf., Mk 10:42, Lk 10:36 22:24, Ac 17:13 26:9, I Co 11:16 12:22, II Co 10:9, Ga 2:6, 9, He 4:1 12:11; οἱ δοκοῦντες, those of repute, Ga 2:2. Impers., it seems, c. dat. pers.;
to think: Mt 17:25 18:12 21:28 22:17, 42 26:66, Jo 11:56, He 12:10;
to please, seem good to: c. inf., Lk 1:3, Ac 15:22, 25, 23, 34.†
SYN. (δοκέω 1.): ἡγέομαι 2, νομίζω2, οἴομαι; ἡ. and ν. properly express belief resting on external proof, ἡ. denoting the more careful judgment; δ. and οἴ. imply a subjective judgment which in the case of οἴ. is based on feeling, in δ. on thought (v. Schmidt, c. 17) (δοκέω 2.): φαίνομαι; φ., from the standpoint of the object, "expresses how a matter phenomenally shows and presents itself"; δ., from the standpoint of the observer, expresses one's subjective judgment about a matter (v. Tr., Syn., § lxxx; Cremer, 204).
Moulton & Milligan — Vocabulary of the Greek NT
δοκέω. The verb is naturally common, e.g. P Par 4015 (8.6. τ64-58) εἶπα αὐτῷ μὴ ἐμὲ ἀξιοῦν, ἀλλά, δόξαντα ἀδελφὸν αὐτοῦ ἐν τῇ αὐλῇ εἶναι, παραγίνεσθαι, P Oxy VII. 1027° (i/A.D.) ὑπόμνημα ἀφ᾽ οὗ ἔδοξεν δυνήσασθαι ἐμποδισθῆναί μου τὴν πρᾶξιν, “ἃ memorandum by means of which he hoped that my execution might be prevented ” (Ed.), 26. 1032°8(A.p. 162) ἐάν σου τῇ τύχῃ δόξῃ, “if your fortune sees fit.” exx. of this last phrase we may cite P Petr I. 267 (B.c. 241) ἐάν σοι δοκεῖ, P Oxy IV. 718% (a.b. 180-02) ἐάν σοι δόξῃ, and 76. IX. 12208 (iii/A.b.) ἢ δοκῖ σοι, κύριέ pov, πέμψε por For other
Liddell-Scott-Jones — Greek-English Lexicon
δοκέω (dokeō) — to think. δοκέω [Refs 8th c.BC+]imperfect ἐδόκουν, Epic dialect δοκέεσκον [Refs 6th c.AD+]: —middle, δοκέοντο [Refs 3rd c.AD+]: participle δοκεύμενος[Refs]: the future and other tenses are twofold:
1. future δόξω and aorist 1 ἔδοξα [Refs 5th c.BC+]perfect δέδοχα inferred from pluperfect ἐδεδόχεσαν [Refs 2nd c.AD+]:—passive, aorist ἐδόχθην [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect δέδογμαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: pluperfect ἐδέδοκτο [Refs]
2. regular forms (chiefly Trag., Comedy texts, and late Prose), future δοκήσω [Refs 5th c.BC+]; Doric dialect δοκησῶ or -ᾱσῶ[Refs 3rd c.BC+]aorist ἐδόκησα, Epic dialect δόκ- [Refs 8th c.BC+]: perfect δεδόκηκα [Refs 4th c.BC+]:— passive, aorist ἐδοκήθην [Refs 5th c.BC+]: perfect δεδόκημαι [Refs 5th c.BC+].; but δεδοκημένος (which see) belongs to δέχομαι.
I. expect (Iterat. of δέκομαι,[Refs]: hence, think, suppose, imagine, (opposed to φρονέω, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
I.1. with accusative et infinitive, δοκέω νικησέμεν Ἕκτορα [Refs 8th c.BC+]infinitive omitted, δοκῶ.. οὐδὲν ῥῆμα.. κακὸν [εἶναι] [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τούτους τι δοκεῖτε [εἶναι] [Refs 5th c.BC+]; frequently in relating a dream or vision, τεκεῖν δράκοντ᾽ ἔδοξεν she thought a serpent produced young, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; ἐδόκουν αἰετὸν.. φέρειν methought an eagle was carrying, [Refs 5th c.BC+]infinitive only, ἔδοξ᾽ ἰδεῖν methought I saw,[Refs 5th c.BC+] (sometimes also, as in signification [Refs 4th c.BC+]
I.1. b think to do, purpose, ὅταν δ᾽ ἀείδειν.. δοκῶ [Refs 4th c.BC+]
I.2. absolutely, have or form an opinion, περί τινος [Refs 5th c.BC+]; mostly in parenthetic phrases, ὡς δοκῶ [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δοκῶ alone, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; πῶς δοκεῖ; to call attention to something remarked, τοῦτον, πῶς δοκεῖ; καθύβρισεν [Refs 5th c.BC+]
I.3. δοκῶ μοι I seem to myself, methinks, with infinitive, ἐγώ μοι δοκέω κατανοέειν τοῦτο [Refs 5th c.BC+]; οὔ μοι δοκῶ I think not.., [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δοκῶ μοι parenthetic, [Refs]
I.3. b δοκῶ μοι I am determined, resolved, with infinitive present, [Refs 5th c.BC+]: with infinitive future, [Refs 4th c.BC+]: with infinitive aorist, uncertain in [Refs 5th c.BC+]: rarely without μοι, think fit, σὺ δ᾽ αὐτὸς ἤδη γνῶθι τίνα πέμπειν δοκεῖς [Refs 4th c.BC+]
I.4. seem, pretend, with infinitive (with or without negative), ὁρέων μὲν οὐδέν, δοκέων δὲ [ὁρᾶν] uncertain reading in [Refs 7th c.BC+]
I.5. passive, to be considered, δοκεῖσθαι οὕτω [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ νῦν δοκούμενα περί τινος the current opinions, [Refs]
I.6. middle, [Refs 3rd c.AD+]
II. of an Object, seem, with dative person et infinitive present, δοκέεις δέ μοι οὐκ ἀπινύσσειν [Refs 8th c.BC+]; δόκησε δ᾽ ἄρα σφίσι θυμὸς ὣς ἔμεν ὡς εἰ.. their heart seemed just as if.., felt as though.., [Refs]infinitive future, seem likely, δοκέει δέ μοι ὧδε λώϊον ἔσσεσθαι [Refs 8th c.BC+]: with infinitive aorist (never in [Refs 8th c.BC+]; seem or be thought to have done, especially of suspected persons, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to be convicted, ἂν ἁλῷ καὶ δοκῇ τοὔργον εἰργάσθαι [Refs 4th c.BC+]
II.2. absolutely, seem, as opposed to to reality, τὸ δοκεῖν καὶ τὰν ἀλάθειαν βιᾶται [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.3. seem good, be resolved on, εἰ δοκεῖ σοι ταῦτα[Refs]
II.4. frequently impersonal, δοκεῖ μοι it seems to me, methinks, ὥς μοι δοκεῖ εἶναι ἄριστα [Refs 8th c.BC+]; ὡς ἐμοὶ δοκεῖ as I think, [Refs 4th c.BC+]; τὸ σοὶ δοκοῦν your opinion, [Refs 5th c.BC+]infinitive in parenthesis clause, ὡς ἐμοὶ δοκέειν to my thinking, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; without μοι, [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.4. b it seems good to me, it is my pleasure, δοκεῖ ἡμῖν χρῆσθαι [Refs 5th c.BC+]: frequently of a public resolution, τοῖσι Ἕλλησι δόξαι.. ἀπαιτέειν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; especially in decrees and the like, ἔδοξε τῇ βουλῇ, τῷ δήμῳ, [Refs 5th c.BC+]:—passive, δέδοκται [Refs 5th c.BC+] when it was decreed or resolved, δόξαν αὐτοῖς ὥστε διαναυμαχεῖν [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δόξαν δέ σφι (i.e. λιπέσθαι) [Refs 5th c.BC+]; ἰδίᾳ δοκῆσάν σοι τόδ᾽..; [Refs 5th c.BC+]
II.5. to be reputed, with infinitive, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; δοκοῦντες εἶναί τι men who are held to be something, men of repute, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; τὰ δοκοῦντα, opposed to τὰ μηδὲν ὄντα, [Refs 5th c.BC+]; to be an established, current opinion, [Refs 4th c.BC+] — passive, οἱ δεδογμένοι ἀνδροφόνοι those who have been found guilty of homicide, [Refs 4th c.BC+] that which seems true is true to him who thinks it, [Refs 5th c.BC+]